Flynn's Little Lies
by alligal237
Summary: Life is good, but when Eugene's evil side of Flynn Rider starts making its way to the surface, everything gets complicated. Will Rapunzel be able to trust Eugene again?
1. Chapter 1

**Flynn's the Thief**

**_A/N: If Tangled became a TV series, this is one of the episodes I would want them to air. Take note Disney: we want more Tangled! If you agree, tell it to Disney in a review. Let's get some ideas on the table people! Anyway, I don't own Tangled, the characters, or anything else that may get me in trouble for copyright stuff. Please R&R!_**

"Maximus, you can't tell the princess anything. You just go back to the palace and leave me here, okay?" Eugene told his trusty horse, Maximus. Maximus still didn't trust Eugene completely, even though he and Rapunzel had been dating for almost a year. The horse stayed in front of Eugene, not moving an inch. "Maximus, it's okay. I'll be back at the palace soon and I won't cause any trouble, alright?" Eugene assured Maximus. He still wouldn't move, and Pascal appeared from behind the horse's ear. He gave Eugene a dirty look of suspicion. This was a jewelry shop after all; an ex-thief was bound to cause trouble.

"Fine, I'm going to tell you guys what I'm here for then I'll turn around and you'll magically disappear, okay? And you tell Rapunzel nothing!" Maximus and Pascal exchanged looks then turned back to Eugene. They seemed to shake their heads and say "go on and tell."

"Alright. I'm going to get a ring for Rapunzel. Don't tell her though." Maximus looked confused, as did Pascal. Eugene sighed. "I'm going to ask her to marry me tomorrow night." Maximus whinnied in delight; Pascal did a little dance on the horse's head. "Don't tell Rapunzel," Eugene reminded them. He turned around and the duo was out of sight.

"Now for the best diamonds in the kingdom of Corona." He walked into the small shop where racks of jewels sat around the walls. This was definitely thief heaven, and the character of Flynn Rider started to make its way to the surface. All these jewels and gold could be his, all with a swipe of the hand. Five-finger discount jewels were the best kind.

The owner walked in just then. "Hello, welcome to Jackie's Jewels, the finest rings and necklaces in Corona! How can I help y-...hey, aren't you the princess' boyfriend?" the owner, apparently named Jackie, asked.

"Uh, yes," Eugene replied.

"Well, what can I get you? Something for the princess?"

"Actually, I would like to see one of your finest diamond rings," Eugene said.

Jackie's face lit up. "A diamond ring...an engagement ring...for the princess?"

"Shh, don't say anything. If you do, I will personally hit you with a frying pan," he threatened.

"Of course, I won't say a word." She went towards a shelf with many diamond rings placed on it. They looked expensive, and obviously were expensive based on the price tag attached to them. Eugene looked on the shelf, not knowing which one would win Rapunzel's heart. Then one white diamond with silver plating caught his eye. And, of course, there was no price tag on it.

He picked the ring up. "How much is this?"

"Twelve gold pieces," she informed. "But for you, only ten pieces."

Eugene reached into his satchel and pulled out the money he'd brought...nine gold pieces. "Dang it," he muttered.

"Something wrong, sir?"

He looked up at Jackie and froze for a second. Then he said, "No, no, it's just getting late and I need to head back to the castle. I'll just come back tomorrow." He put the ring back on the shelf...loosely.

"Alright, you better. We need a prince in this kingdom, you know." They laughed and Jackie turned around to walk back behind the counter. With one swift movement of his hand, Eugene swiped the ring and stuck it in his satchel. Jackie faced Eugene briefly, but disappeared into the back of the shop. Flynn Rider was back on the surface and started to overtake him completely. He had five fingers, he deserved some discounted jewels. He snatched up some necklaces made of pearls, sapphires, and other gems. Quickly he made his way out of the shop, his satchel heavy with riches. Oh, how great it was for him to get back to thieving!

"I won't only be the man who's going to marry a princess, but I'll also come into the family rich! This is a lucky day for me, the luckiest man alive!" Flynn shouted as he ran back to the palace.


	2. Chapter 2

**Flynn and Rapunzel Together Forever...Almost**

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair," Eugene joked as he opened the door to Rapunzel's bedroom. She was living in the castle for almost a year, while Eugene was still living like a thief, except he could hang around the castle without getting jailed.

"What hair?" Rapunzel laughed as she pulled on her brown locks. They were still short because her hair never grows. She got up from the stool she was sitting on (she'd been painting on an easel, of course) and approached Eugene. "Where've you been?"

Eugene kissed her lips lightly. "I was just looking around in the square, making sure no one was causing any trouble."

"I think Maximus has the crime in the kingdom non-existent," Rapunzel pointed out.

"Yeah, that's what I found," he said, still thinking about his crime. Everyone still believed that little lie of no crime in Corona. Well, it would've been the truth until he came along. _How idiotic am I...and absolutely genius at being a criminal!_

She smiled. "Well, Mom wanted me to come into the garden for a bit, but I'll see you later."

All of this was part of Eugene's plan. The queen would distract Rapunzel while Eugene set up their romantic dinner and made sure the people he hired to set off fireworks and lanterns were in place. All of this while a huge diamond ring was in his pocket. If she said no to him after this, he wouldn't know what would impress her.

"Yeah, I'll see you at dinner." Rapunzel left her room. Eugene counted to ten then looked into his satchel. His greedy eyes looked throughout the bag for the ring, and when he found it he placed it in his pocket. He closed his satchel, put it on his shoulder, and left the room, not noticing the pearl necklace that fell to the floor.

...

"Have a good dinner, Love," the queen bade her daughter. Rapunzel left the garden after Mom had finished talking to her. The conversation was unusually focused on Eugene. The last time one of their talks had been about Eugene was the second month she'd arrived, because she had a hard time knowing the next step after Eugene had bursted out an 'I love you' while they were kissing. Otherwise, their talks only had little snippets of Eugene put in the conversation.

She headed up to her room to change her dress. When she walked through the door, she noticed something on the ground.

"Pearls? I don't own any pearls...who could've lost them?" She thought about who had been in her room. Mary had come in to help her get dressed, and she definitely doesn't own pearls. Dad had come to ask if she'd seen his best fur robes, which she hadn't. And Eugene had been in here with his satchel. No one seemed like they'd own them. She picked them up and stuffed them down her corset, then put on her second favorite blue dress.

She hurried down the stairs to the dining hall. She passed her father's meeting room, where he and the Royal Guard officials were having a meeting on whatever business was new.

"The jewelry shop was wiped out...half of their stock is missing!" Rapunzel overheard the head chief say. She was worried and wanted in on the subject, but she also felt the need to please Eugene to make up for the fact he wasn't allowed to live in the castle. In a few strides, she was in the dining hall, where Eugene was waiting in candle light.

The room was absolutely beautiful. A bouquet of red, white, and pink roses sat on the table. Candles were scattered in the room and had a scent that smelled like lavender. The food was already set out: chicken, asparagus, and...Hazelnut soup. Rapunzel's heart sank.

"Well hello to my absolutely gorgeous girlfriend," Eugene greeted her. He kissed her lips and when he noticed Rapunzel wasn't getting into everything, he grew concerned. "You okay?"

She looked in his eyes then back at the room, then back at Eugene. "Yes, everything is wonderful. You did all this for me?"

"Of course. I'd do anything for you."

Quickly Rapunzel forgot about Gothel and all of her emotions tied to her and focused on Eugene. This was their night, and there was no sense in letting the past get in the way of these rare nights. She kissed him more passionately than she normally would, and the kiss stretched out for what seemed like forever. Eugene, surprised at the sudden mood swing, was getting feelings that he had experienced before, but not nearly on this level. Too bad they still had to eat.

They parted and sat down to eat. Rapunzel, still thinking about that robbery, decided to mention it to Eugene and see if he'd heard of it. Hopefully, they wouldn't have to focus too much on the subject.

"Did you hear about the jewelry shop? Someone stole half of the stock."

Eugene's eyes widened. Maybe he hadn't gotten by with one of the most perfect crime schemes. "No, I haven't. Do they know who did it?"

"I'm not sure, I just overheard as I came here," she explained.

"Oh." The rest of the dinner was spent eating and having little conversations about life in general. A few times they'd stop and kiss or say something unusual and laugh about it, but otherwise, the meal went on like any other.

They finished their meal and, hand in hand, walked outside into the flower garden. The sky was dark dotted with stars. Eugene put his hand in his pocket, making sure the ring was still there.

"It's so beautiful," Rapunzel admired. She and Eugene lay down in the bed of flowers, looking up at the night sky.

"Yes, exquisite," he agreed. Suddenly, a big boom sounded and the sky filled with blues, reds, green, gold, and purple. Rapunzel looked up in alarm but eased when Eugene tugged her back. "They're fireworks. Amazing, aren't they?"

Rapunzel stared up at the colorful sky. Lanterns were floating up with the fiery colors. The sky was bright, and it was absolutely fantastic. "I love it," she told Eugene.

This was his chance. "Rapunzel, we've been dating for almost a year now, and I know that I love you, and I'd do anything for you."

"I love you too," Rapunzel said. She gave him a quick kiss, and stared into his eyes.

"Well, Rapunzel, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want you and me to be together forever. So I have to ask you," he said pulling the ring out of his pocket and knelt in front of her, "Will you marry me?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Flynn is Back**

"Oh my gosh, Eugene!" Rapunzel exclaimed. She stared at the shiny silver ring and sparkling white diamond...a _huge_ sparkling white diamond. All this, the fireworks, dinner, and he just being with her was absolutely romantic. The answer was obviously going to be a yes, but she couldn't answer quite yet because of her shock. She looked into his dark eyes then looked back at the ring...why was the small price tag still attached to the ring?

"Well," he prompted, "what do you say?"

His satchel was his trusty bag to put his stolen items in, and he hadn't used it in forever. The jewelry store had been robbed. She found pearls in her bedroom. 'Oh no, it can't be,' Rapunzel thought to herself.

"Um, could you hold that thought? I'll be right back," Rapunzel said as she ran off towards the castle.

Eugene eyed her curiously. "Well okay." This wasn't exactly what reaction he expected from her. Usually she gave definite answers before going off somewhere unless she was interrupted. And especially now, what could be keeping her from giving an answer?

Rapunzel ran as fast as she could to her father's meeting room. As she entered the doors to the castle, guards moved out of the way as to not get knocked over. She navigated through the many halls and levels of stairs to eventually get to the gold door. People were still talking in there, and Rapunzel had no problem interrupting.

She flung open the door. "What suspects do you have on the jewelry shop robbery?"

"Rapunzel, I'm in a meeting. Can't we talk a bit later about all these problems?" the king said.

"Just tell me!" she demanded.

He sighed. "I can't tell."

"Well, I'm not leaving until you do, which will be unfortunate for Eugene. I left him standing without an answer to his marriage proposal."

The king frowned slightly. "We wouldn't want to keep you waiting. The only two people that have been in the shop have been Jackie, the owner, and," he sighed, "Eugene. Immediately after he left, the stuff was gone." He hoped this information didn't hurt her too much.

"Thank you." Rapunzel ran back to Eugene. How could he possibly do this? Who would actually propose with a stolen ring? And to a princess of all people! This was an ultimate low for him. She wasn't sure what to do. She wanted to say yes, but she couldn't say yes to _Flynn_. She wanted to say yes to _Eugene_. Maybe that's all she had to say.

Eugene was standing now when Rapunzel got back to the flower garden.

"Is everything okay?" he asked her.

"I guess so, Flynn." He froze when his old name was used. Something was wrong.

"But," Rapunzel continued, "I'm going to have to say no to your proposal."

"Why?" he inquired, not meaning to sound like a child asking his mom why he can have something at the store.

She wanted to smile, but she wasn't going to. She picked up the ring, showed the tag to him, the placed it back in the box. "You know why," she answered. Not wanting to hear his reply, she walked off. But she remembered the pearls stuffed in her corset.

"Oh and Flynn, I believe this belongs to you," Rapunzel said, adding air quotes around 'belongs'. She threw the pearls in the direction of Eugene and went back to the castle so she could try to get some sleep. He caught them and stared at her as she left.

When she was out of sight, he said aloud, "Oh no, I screwed up badly. I'm back to being Flynn." He looked back at the ring. "Well, I found the price tag...and at the most inconvenient time!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Accepted**

**A/N: This chapter is for FLYNNRIDERFANATIC, for giving me a fantastic idea. Thank you, because the original ending I had would've made this the last chapter, but no longer! **

Eugene stared down at the ring and pearls in his hand as he walked to the small abandoned shack he was currently living in. His satchel, still full of jewels, was slung on his back. A small tear from his chocolate eyes fell to the ground. Everything he'd known and become, everything he'd work for, had been destroyed from a stupid mistake.

He entered through the rotting door, threw his satchel by his bed, and sat on the edge of the mattress. "How do I fix this? All I have to do is give back the jewels and beg Rapunzel back. She might take me back."

"She won't, Eugene," a cool but unfamiliar female voice from the shadows said.

He grabbed the frying pan that was on his bedside table and stood, ready to attack. "Who goes there? Show yourself!"

From the shadows appeared a woman who looked a tad bit older than Rapunzel. She had black hair that was curly, stunning blue eyes that you could easily get lost in, and a _very_ revealing black dress. Her skin was pale, like she'd never been in the sun, but her lips were black.

"Who the hell are you?" he questioned her. He couldn't help but be stunned by her, but he still kept the pan ready to be used if necessary.

She flipped her hair and a smirk formed on her face. "That's for me to know, and you to find out." The woman inched toward Eugene and he backed up from every step she took, until he hit a wall.

"Um, I'd prefer you get out now."

"No you wouldn't. See, I'm just like you. I like to make my fortune doing what I'm good at...stealing." She was only inches away from Eugene's face. Her slender fingers made her way to his hand and she removed the frying pan from his hand. Eugene stood still, or rather Flynn did. Flynn seemed to have overtaken him completely. He had a woman who was not only mysterious, seductive, and a thief like him, she was also so close to him, he could feel her steady breathing. But the Eugene part of him was still trying to fight.

"See, I think you have potential. You've got the looks, the thieving skills, and the hearts of many. Who needs that...Rapunzel." She said her name like it had left a bad taste in her mouth. "She holds you back from your true talents. If she can't accept all of you, including your bad side, then how will your relationship last?"

She kind of had a good point. But it didn't matter. "I'm not that bad man anymore. I'm ready to be with Rapunzel, to start my new life with her. I love her."

"But does she love you? If I recall, you just got dumped by her. Or was that someone else?"

He sighed at the reminder, but he was determined to win at this game of words. "It was my stupid mistake though. I just have to explain the situation. She'll take me back and we'll be together happily ever after."

"Sure. When life becomes a fairytale, let me know how that works out. Look Eugene, the reality is that if you go back, you're going to be arrested, maybe even hanged. Why not forget all that and look forward into the future? Be yourself. Join me and become rich beyond belief in one of the biggest crimes ever done. Why go somewhere you're not wanted, when you have a whole life that wants you?"

Well, he couldn't argue with any of that. Maybe she was right. Eugene stopped fighting. It was time for Flynn to play his cards. "I'm listening."

The woman backed off and pulled up two chairs. "I have a business proposition...a partnership deal." She sat in the chair cross-legged.

Game time. "Sorry, Curly Head, but I don't work with mystery partners." He turned his back to her, arms crossed.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. The name's Celeste."

"Celeste," Eugene repeated. He sat in the chair opposite of her. "Well, you have a business proposition for me?"

She nodded. "You know the palace well, right?"

"In a way, yes."

"So you know where the king's gold is kept?"

"Of course."

Celeste laughed an evil-like laugh. "Oh, this is too good. Your just the person I need to pull this off! How about you be my partner, help me steal the king's gold, and we split the loot 50/50. You guide us in, I grab bags of gold, and you get us out. Simple get-rich-quick plan. What do you say?"

"How about 70/30, seeing as I'm the main component here?" he negotiated.

She pondered his offer. "Fair reasoning. I can handle 60/40, your favor. Final offer, take it or leave it."

He smiled crookedly, greediness showing in his face. "This could work for me."

"Do we have a deal, Eugene?" Celeste extended her hand and kept her expression serious, yet lustful. That look always seemed to reel in the suckers.

He shook her hand, a greedy look still showing. "Call me Flynn Rider."


	5. Chapter 5

**Overreaction?**

The queen tried to soothe her daughter, who was quite upset on the fact that the boy she thought was the one apparently wasn't who he said he was. She didn't cry, which was very surprising, but instead she was confused. Her living fairytale was twisting before her eyes and she had no idea what to do. And the queen was put in a rather tricky spot: what exactly do you say to your daughter about an ex-thief's personality bubbling to the surface then exploding, damaging their relationship and feelings? It was certainly nothing she'd ever experienced.

"I just don't understand why he'd do something like that...there was bound to be a cheaper ring," Rapunzel repeated the almost twentieth time that evening.

"Well, darling, sometimes people make the wrong choices. Maybe he had different intentions but things got out of hand. Or maybe he doesn't want to change into some good guy. There are plenty of people out there for you. You just have to find the right person."

She sighed. "I know. I just...I'm just shocked. He's the one, I know that. But it's when he hurts others, a line is crossed."

"Maybe you just need to deal with these things on your own, figure out what you want and don't want in relationships, while Eugene fixes his problem. And if he doesn't, maybe he's not right for you."

Rapunzel looked up at her mom. She had a very good point…it was absolutely necessary to know what she wanted before she made any decisions.

"How did you pick what you wanted, Mom? How did you pick Dad?"

The queen chuckled at her memories of meeting her husband. "Well, Rapunzel," she began her tale, "When I was a little bit older than you, twenty-one to be precise, my mother told me that I was going to be a queen one day. I was so excited to know that one day all of this kingdom would be mine. But the only problem is that my little sister, who'd recently gotten married, was starting to climb her way up to the throne. Mother said that maybe if I got married, I'd be the one guaranteed to rule Corona.

"So we threw a big ball, trying to find me a husband, and no one seemed good enough. I probably danced with hundreds of people that June evening! Mother and I were starting to give up hope, but one man came up to me and offered me a drink. I instantly fell in love with him and kissed him."

Rapunzel stared at her, a bit confused. "You didn't really pick your kind of guy though, you just kind of fell in love."

"Yes, but afterwards, my parents completely disapproved of him.'He's the kitchen boy, Marie, you can't possibly think he's worthy to be king!' they screamed at me. But he fit the kind of guy that I wanted. He was sweet, charming, not too clingy, and he took good care in everything he did. Most of all, he was in love with me too. That's what I was looking for, and I really didn't care what they said about my choice."

Her daughter pondered this for a moment. "So what you're saying is that you knew he was the one, but you had to make sure of it before you did anything else?"

She smiled. "Exactly."

Rapunzel gave her mother a hug. "Thanks, Mom, for everything."

"You're welcome," she said, taking the embrace. "Just find a place where you can think, and you'll just know what's right and what's wrong."

The princess pulled away. _A place to think…._

"I'm going to go to the Snuggly Duckling…maybe I can get some opinions there and be able to think about this."

"Alright," she said, "but, Rapunzel."

"Yes?"

"Make sure you disguise yourself. And don't tell your father about this, okay?"

"Okay."

…

_Meanwhile…_

"Oh, Flynn, this is absolutely perfect! We're going to be rich by next week!" Celeste said excitedly.

"You've got the greatest thief on your side, nothing can possibly go wrong!" Flynn gloated.

Celeste jumped around like a school girl. "We should celebrate."

"How about we go to a place I know…thief heaven," he suggested.

"Ooo," she squealed, "I love the Snuggly Duckling! Let's go!"

Flynn sighed. "Hold your horses there. Do you happen to have a mode of transportation? I'd rather not walk to the other side of the woods late at night. I've still got enemies out there you know."

"I've got Luca, my horse, if that meets to your desire."

"Fine."

The duo walked out of the shack and onto a beautiful black horse, apparently was the one named Luca. They got onto the horse and rode off into the dark woods, dodging trees, going around creepy shrubs, while trying to stay on the un-lit path. Very soon, they arrived at the pub.

"Not many folks here tonight," Flynn commented as he and Celeste went through the door. They took a seat by the window.

Attila went to their table to take their order. "What can I get you all today?"

"Two rum cakes and a bottle of champagne, please," Celeste told him.

"I can do the rum cakes, but it's either beer or nothing, love."

Flynn quickly said that it was okay before Celeste could argue.

As they talked and waited for their food, Rapunzel looked at them from a bar stool. Eugene apparently had moved on. A tear fell into her glass of water and she quickly exited the pub. She jumped on an extra palace horse named Coco and made her way back to the castle.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thieving**

"I believe this is all you'll need, Mr. Rider," Celeste said as she handed Flynn his satchel, dark colored clothes, and an even bigger bag for all the gold. Flynn was sitting on Luca, ready to ride into the night and put Celeste's plan into action. He'd been waiting all week for this.

"Go, and hurry back. I'll be here, watching for intruders and such," she assured him.

He didn't particularly like this, but it didn't matter now. "Okay," Flynn said. He then commanded Luca to trot towards the castle, only moonlight lighting his way down the forest path.

…

_Meanwhile…_

"Well, I guess my life is over now," Rapunzel sighed as Mary picked out her clothes for the next day. She was always a good listener, which is why Rapunzel loved talking to her.

"Why is that Love?" she wondered.

Rapunzel flopped down on the huge bed. "Eugene's moved on."

"What do you mean by that?"

She sat up and Mary faced her. "I saw him with this woman the other day at the Snuggly Duckling. She was absolutely beautiful and they were sitting and eating together. They looked like they'd bonded or something."

"Now Princess, you have to remember that it doesn't matter about him. You are strong and independent. You're a princess, a soon to be ruler! Plus, you have a gift that no one else has: healing tears. If he can't see how special and fantastic you are, then he's not even worth talking about."

She smiled at Mary. "Thank you; you are such a great friend."

Mary returned the smile and her blue eyes softened. "Oh, I'm just you're maid, nothing special." Before Rapunzel could say anything else to her, Mary left the room.

…

_There are so many greater things I could do then climbing up a castle that's wet and slippery from evening dew at three in the morning, _Flynn thought to himself. _Like being with Rapunzel…._

_Stop! Don't think about her, she's the old life. This is your new one._ He shook his head, trying to shake the thoughts of Rapunzel out of his mind. His hands grabbed on to each of the bricks that stood out even a millimeter more than normally. The pain of trying to hold on with a satchel and a big bag on his back was almost unbearable. He was strong, but he hadn't done this in almost a year.

One brick, pause, one brick, pause…Flynn held on tightly, the stone cutting into his hands. He saw that he was climbing towards a window with a candle still lit in the inside. His eyes peeked into the window and saw Rapunzel sleeping. Oh how he missed her….

"Agghhh!" he screamed as he lost his footing. He fell a little ways then his satchel caught a brick. It almost choked him, but it saved him too.

…

Rapunzel woke up from a sudden scream.

"Eugene?" she whispered. She looked around the dimly lit room and saw nothing. Making her way to the window, she looked out to see if there was someone outside. Nothing.

"I guess I'll have a look in the hallway. Maybe someone's in trouble," she whispered to herself. She tiptoed out the door and in the hallway. Nothing was noticed by her in the hall. But she was already awake, so she decided to do some exploring.

Rapunzel made her way towards the big palace steps. Torches lit a path so she could see the red velvet carpet and the wooden banister. No one was awake, except maybe some guards. She snuck down the stairs and onto the hardwood floor.

"Left to the kitchen or right toward the entrance?" Rapunzel made up her mind to go towards the entrance.

…

Flynn was almost at the bottom, just hanging by his satchel. He reached for a brick to take the pressure off his neck.

He looked up at the rest of the castle that he needed to climb. Then he looked down. He could drop and not even get a scrape he was so close. _Screw this, I'm using the entrance. That's unpredictable for the guards._

As he dropped down into the shrubs, he landed on his feet and walked towards the entrance. No guards stood, which was kind of unusual. Guards always protected the castle at night, especially since they were supposed to guard the royal family. Flynn shrugged it off and walked into the castle. The doors were unlocked, another unusual thing. He made sure he became more aware of everything he did, just in case something was wrong.

He was taken aback when he saw those big green eyes standing in front of him again.


	7. Chapter 7

**Rapunzel Versus Celeste**

"What could possibly be taking him so long?" Celeste muttered to herself. She was pacing back and forth, passing the knocked-out guards. Blood was all over the grass though, so she wouldn't be surprised if they were dead. Her knuckles hurt, her feet were killing her in the black boots she wore, and she just wanted to lie down in her piles of gold. After this ordeal, she was starting to be exhausted.

Celeste was actually surprised that she got Flynn to do all the work for her. It wasn't like she was going to keep her end of the deal, and he knew it. Plus, he led her right to the girl with the healing tears. He didn't think she could only want gold when there was a fountain of youth inside. Why else would she have told him to climb the tower where Rapunzel slept? The princess was bound to come out and see what's wrong. Then Celeste would make her move.

...

"Oh Eugene Fitzherbert, you are in so much trouble," Rapunzel said, almost like a threat.

He froze but countered, "Why would you say that?"

She walked towards him as she spoke. "Isn't it obvious? You're in all black, there are twigs in your hair, and you look like a zombie from no sleep. Either you're going to take some palace treasures for your own, decided to peek in the windows for whatever reason, or you're going to kidnap me. Whatever it is, I've got a crown on my head, so someone of enormous power will find out."

_Why does kidnapping her seem so appealing right now?_

"Well," Rapunzel piped up when he didn't respond, "What are you doing here?"

_I'm not Flynn; I'm Eugene..._"I want you back. I'll return everything, I'll do whatever time, and I'll take whatever punishment. I just don't want to lose you again."

Somehow, Rapunzel had made her way to where she was inches away from Eugene's face. Rapunzel opened her mouth to say something, but she couldn't because his lips and tongue had somehow met hers. She went into a haze, it seemed like Eugene had become more passionate in the week they'd been apart. Weird, because Eugene was thinking the same thing about Rapunzel. Everything that he missed about her, loved about her, and the way she showed her love to him was brought out in the heat of the moment. He wasn't even sure why he was here anymore. Then Rapunzel pulled away after...a long time.

"Did you hear that, Eugene?" She had concern in her voice.

"No."

She shook her head. "I could've sworn I heard Gothel's voice..." _Oh, what a horrible time to say that!_

"Gothel's dead, Rapunzel," he reassured her.

"I'd hardly call her dead," a voice said. Rapunzel and Eugene turned to look at the figure in the doorway.

"Celeste?" Eugene said, confused.

Rapunzel looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

He bit his tongue and prayed someone would somehow change the subject.

"His partner, dear," Celeste clarified.

Rapunzel expression read both angry and confused. "Partner?"

"Not like that! Partner in crime!" Eugene told her. Now her face only conveyed anger and outrage.

"So you weren't coming back for me? You lied!"

"Flower, why would he come back for you? You know his type; he's a thief, not some in-a-haze lover," Celeste said.

She did a double-take. "Did you just call me flower?"

"Funny thing, isn't it?"

Rapunzel looked down at the floor then looked up again at Celeste. "You're Gothel! You sound like her and look like her!" She turned to Eugene. "You're partner in crime is Gothel?"

Eugene looked absolutely confused. "I'm working with Celeste. This isn't Gothel."

Celeste smirked. "Actually, you're both right."

Rapunzel and Eugene exchanged bewildered looks. "Explain that please," Eugene told her.

"You see, when I fell out of that window, I turned to dust. My spirit was left where I fell; I couldn't go anywhere. But this lovely young lady's body came along, and I overtook it. Then I had two options: go to Rapunzel and take back my fountain of youth personally, or trick the one she loved to lead me right to her, no questions asked."

"But you said all you wanted was the palace gold," Eugene recalled, ignoring Rapunzel's shocked look.

"You see, that's the trick part. You may think you're so clever, Mr. Fitzherbert, but in reality, you are very dim."

Rapunzel said, "So you are Gothel, _and_ this woman named Celeste?"

"Yes." Rapunzel and Eugene were wide-eyed at this new information. They realized they were in trouble when a silver dagger was being pointed at them.


	8. Chapter 8

**Eugene the Hero**

"Look, Stalker Gothel, you aren't going to win at this game. You failed once, we can easily foil you again," Eugene threatened.

"I appreciate your attempt to scare me, Eugene," Gothel said as she forced them to back up, the silver weapon still pointed at them, "But your problem is that Rapunzel's hair has been cut! Nothing can save you now!"

He punched her, just out of reflex, and she grabbed at her eye, but still kept the dagger handy. Gothel lunged forward and attempted to stab into Eugene's abdomen, but he slid to the left and dodged it. Rapunzel screamed as her former captor fell to her feet. Gothel's hand arose, so she kicked her and tried getting away from the knife. Unfortunately, Gothel stabbed into Rapunzel's left foot. She fell to the ground and cried out in pain.

Eugene's fighting instincts immediately came out. He made his way to Gothel, just as she was trying to stand and finish off Eugene. As forcefully as he could, he leaped onto Gothel's back, shoving her back into the ground. She yelled as her ribs made a loud cracking noise, her bones breaking under the pressure of Eugene. He stood up, decided he'd won, and then tended to Rapunzel's foot.

"Don't worry, Rapunzel, we'll tend to this. Just a little cut, that's all," he said trying to calm down her sobbing. He tore off a piece of his sleeve and wrapped her foot up. "There, you'll be fine."

Rapunzel shouted, "Eugene, behind you!" He wasn't fast enough as the dagger pierced into his back.

"Help! Someone help!" Rapunzel called out as loudly as possible. Gothel, still injured but somehow still capable, stood over her.

"I may be dead, but you can still come and be with me forever." She raised the dagger, ready to kill, but...

_Bam!_ She fell to the ground, revealing Eugene standing up, still bleeding from his back.

"Frying pans, who knew?" he said weakly. He sat himself down beside Rapunzel and kissed her. "I want you to know that I'm sorry, and that I love you."

"Don't talk like that, Eugene. You'll survive this, you always do."

"Yes, but I'm only going to survive if you want me to. Rapunzel, do you want to be with me forever?"

"Of course I do." She sang the poetic incantation and a tear fell on him.

Eugene started glowing, as yellow light instead of blood poured out of his wound. Rapunzel smiled as she stared at the beautiful sight. The sun's gift was absolutely magnificent.

As the light dimmed, Eugene smiled at Rapunzel and kissed her passionately. Rapunzel winced, as her foot was still hurt, and they pulled apart.

"I'm sorry, Rapunzel. It's too bad the fountain of youth doesn't work on the fountain of youth. We better get you to a doctor."

"Wait," Rapunzel grabbed his hand, "Can I change my answer?"

"To what?"

"That proposal."

Eugene looked at her lovingly. "Rapunzel, love of my life, will you forgive me for being Flynn and let me be your Eugene forever? Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" They kissed again, and Eugene picked her up like a groom carrying his bride.

"How long have all of you been standing there?" Eugene and Rapunzel asked simultaneously.

"Long enough to see Eugene being a hero with a frying pan and look at one of the most adorable love stories unfold," one of the guards answered.

"You mean to tell me that while I'm bleeding from my back, the princess is injured, and her former captor is trying to kill us, you just stood there?"

The king spoke. "Yes. But of course, you became a hero, and you two have a blessing on behalf of the kingdom. All's well that ends well, right?"

Eugene and Rapunzel had their mouths opened, still stunned by the fact the ordeal had an audience. "You know what," Rapunzel said, "Eugene, wrap up my foot please, and then you and I can go to sleep in my room. I'll deal with them in the morning. Oh, and guys? You may want to tend to Gothel also. I have a feeling that her spirit left that poor woman and she won't like what Eugene did to her rib cage. Please, pamper her. Goodnight." Eugene carried her inside and the others scattered to clean up the mess, even the queen and king helped.

Rapunzel and Eugene walked into her bedroom hand in hand. Eugene was supporting her, as one foot was wrapped in cloth and unable to be used. He picked her up then gently laid her onto the bed. They smiled at each other and he bent over to kiss her forehead. He was going to go to the other side of the bed, but Rapunzel grabbed his hand and pulled him closer to him.

"Go take off your shirt, Eugene," she whispered into his ear. Immediately his mind went from sleepy to running wild. He wondered if he was dreaming.

He took his off his shirt and threw it onto the floor. She smiled seductively at him, and pulled him on top of her. He kissed her lips and neck, but tried to steady himself so he wouldn't hurt her. Rapunzel found his lips again and kissed him like never before; her hands were all over him, feeling his muscular body. Her tongue found his, and he went crazy over it. Just then, Rapunzel pushed him off. He rolled to the side and faced her.

"What's wrong?" he asked her. He was a little disappointed she'd stopped.

She smirked. "You see, how can I trust you when you have a bunch of stolen goods in your satchel and I don't have an engagement ring? You're not getting any of me until you do the right thing." She turned over and extinguished the candle on her nightstand with her finger.

"Damn it," Eugene muttered, annoyed.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, Rapunzel. Goodnight," he said in the sweetest voice he could come up with.

"That's what I thought." She laughed to herself and they both fell asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**The Future Mrs. Fitzherbert**

Eugene and Rapunzel rode on Maximus to Jackie's Jewels, Rapunzel and Max looking at him like a child who'd done something wrong. He tried smiling to make the mood more cheery, but his attempt was shot down.

"Now you know what you're going to do, right?" Rapunzel asked him.

"Apologize to Jackie, give back the stuff, and walk out," he repeated for at least the twentieth time that day.

"Good. And I'll be there the whole time so that she doesn't whack you with a frying pan."

The trio approached the shop. Eugene and Rapunzel leaped off Max, and then entered through the wooden door.

Jackie looked at them from behind the counter, smiling as always. "Well, thief, good to see you're back. I don't have anything new for you to purchase, I believe you already have everything.

"Look, I didn't mean to steal-"

"That doesn't even make sense, Mr. Fitzherbert!"

Eugene opened his mouth to speak, but Rapunzel shut him up. "Look, I believe what my always-in-trouble boyfriend is trying to say is that he's sorry for his actions." He nodded in agreement. "I don't think he'll ever do it again, and if he does, he'll have a bigger lump on his head than the first time I hit him with a frying pan." Eugene continued nodding, despite what Rapunzel was saying. She took the satchel from his shoulder and continued. "This is all the stuff he stole." She placed the bag of valuables onto the counter. "And as an apology for this big mess, I would love to invite you to next week's Royal Banquet."

Jackie's jaw was on the ground by the time Rapunzel was finished. "Really?" She exclaimed in excitement.

"Yes." Rapunzel gave her a warm smile.

"Well, apology accepted. Thank you so much, Princess."

"You're welcome." They were about to turn around and exit, but Eugene stopped.

He faced Jackie. "Uh, Miss, I have one little favor to ask of you." Rapunzel flashed him a look that screamed 'how rude' to him.

"Yes, sir?"

"May I see that beautiful diamond ring in your display?"

Jackie got it out and showed him the sparkling heart-shaped diamond and silver plating. Eugene rummaged through his boot, and pulled out ten gold pieces. He sat them on the counter, and took the velvet box from her. "Thank you," he told her. She smiled as Eugene got down on his knee.

Rapunzel stood, shocked. Eugene was actually proposing, ring and all.

"Rapunzel, will you marry me?" He smiled up at her as she started tearing up with tears of joy.

She smiled. "Yes!" He placed the ring on her finger and kissed her. She looked at him and said, "How strange, we broke up for a week and now I've been proposed to twice in twenty-four hours."

"Well, that's how much I love you...twice as much as anyone else."

"I love you, Eugene Fitzherbert."

"I love you too, Princess Rapunzel." And with that, they kissed and knew that this was only the beginning of their journey, and both of their lives began.

**THE END...for now, at least :)**


End file.
